well...i just heard from the last of the unaccounted for family, and they're safely in Houston. now we wait and see what they'll all have left to go home to.

i don't know how much the majority of you know about the city of New Orleans, but it actually lies below sea level and is kept dry (sort of...) by an intricate system of levees, pumps & canals. if the levees are crested (they've already been in several places) by the flood surge and the power goes out (which it has) the city becomes a big ol' bowl of river & ocean & quite possibly the contents of any number of chemical plants and oil refineries. and of course, the potential flooding of all the above ground burial crypts could add some floating coffins just for fun.

the people who took refuge in the Superdome (large indoor football stadium) much be some kind of special hell right now...12,00 people with no where else to go in stadium seating with no power (emergency generators for minimal lighting only) so no A.C., rising water in the lower part of the building, more water coming in as the winds take out 6 foot square segments of the roof, and i imagine, extremely grim sewage situations (i.e., the toilets don't work and probaly are backing up...). and who know when they can get out or where they'll go when they can.

IT'S A KING HELL FREAKING MESS I'M TELLING YA!!!

send a good thought that way, eh?

Will do. Glad to hear the fam is accounted for and safe.

I hate it when the weather is sucktacular like this.

I've been watching the track its taking and my thoughts keep going to Tam and her family..hopefully they are all ok and accounted for, I know Tam is not there but I'm sure she's worrying a bit...I've see some pics already..lots of flooding...I guess the storm is still raging there pretty much right now.

I feel lucky & blessed to live where I only have to worry about some hard rain from these monsters. I always think about & pray for those in the path of these storms. I hope everyone's families are safe! WXF

it's lookng like NO won't get as bad a hit as they could've. still a major mess though. Mississippi's sure getting piunded right now though.

my uncle the NO civil engineer says the levee would hold evenif the water tops them, which is good. he also sems to think the camp house would make it, buit i'm dubious about that. he tends to be optimistic...

from what she said, sounds like Tam's fam got out ok and are in Houston, Ripley...

i heard ealrier there a Xena conection to Katrina. LL was in New Orleans filming Bats!. maybe she evacuated to Austin...

Cool, I'm really glad to hear that ....Thanks!
Glad to hear your family is safe also..BTW

update as of this morning..
my sister got a flight last night to houston so she is with my family there

i can't get a line through to them right now unfortunately (all circuits busy or busy signal) so i don't know if they have a hotel for tonight
i have an aunt living outside of houston, but my mom would probably rather sleep in her car than contact her (oh the family drama)

T

Hey Tam!...
You know I was remembering a time when we couldn't contact you and found out later you had packed up your computer and left the area to escape a hurricane headed your way...lol
Glad to hear your family is all accounted for tho..

Just read on Auzip that LL was in NO filming "Vampire Bats" but had to evacuate also...she was stuck in the sllllooowww traffic heading out of town.
She's riding out the storm in Baton Rouge

jeez, and i was worried when a bush-fire ALMOST came to my house! at least with fires, it's like bam, they come through, they destroy everything in their path, but then it's over. i can't even imagine having flood-water and all the nasty things that come with it hanging around for weeks. ick. i'll definitely be sending my well-wishes and what-not in that general direction

Again Mother Nature shows us who is the boss....

Well-wishes will be sent, be sure of it. In Sweden we very rarely have storms that cause trouble. If we do, it is only with very strong winds. No water like this.

I am glad you and yours are OK, Tam.

i hear ya on the family drama, Tam. my 2 aunts (sisters who tolerate each other at best, mainly cuz one fo them's crazy deluxe) one uncle (crazy aunt's husband--a good natured, eternally patient, long-suffering gent), my racist ex-cop cousin (son of the crazy aunt & swet uncle), his wife & daughter may well be transferring their residence from a Houston hotel (maybe your mom could have one of their rooms...) to the various homes of my mom & siblings in College Station (an hour & a half or so from Houston). my sister has already stipulated that she'll take neither the racist ex-cop nor the crazy aunt and it's sure to get crazier. frankly, while i'm more than willing to participate in the clean-up, repair, and whatever other after-storm woes when they return to N.O, i'm happy to be in Austin at an observational distance right now. though i am contemplating going to rescue the sane aunt from the lot of them. damn, i've been on the phone alot...

Sad to hear that things have been going so badly, folks.

My random thoughts are with you.

the levee by my parent's house broke this morning under the water pressure so things aren't looking good for their house

believe it or not, my mom and the family are going to stay with the above said aunt in a mobile home
let me back up a bit.. it's my uncle's (their brother) house and mobile home.. luckily he's out of the country working as usual b/c my mom and he haven't spoken since their mother died and he insisted my other uncle buy out his share of the house even though he had not money and had taken care of their parents when they were old and sick
yeah i don't like him either

so needless to say i won't be going home tomorrow

damn. i heard levees were starting to break. sorry to hear it, Tam. where abouts in NO is your folk's house?

Tam I'm so sorry to hear about your folks place. I knew you were looking forward to heading down for Labor Day. I'm just thankful they are all safe.

and I'm sorry I've been scarce on the board and on email. I've been in moving HELL!

zoom.. my parent's house is in lakeview on louisville st.
other relatives live in kenner and mandeville

on an uplifting / people are good note..
when my parents were getting food and my mom was explaining to my dad that they only had $26, a couple over heard and asked if they were from louisiana
when they found out they were, the couple bought lunch for them
so thank you TX

tearful account:
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/...erve.ems.lok.cnn.cnn

twin spans:
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/...ot.road.collapse.cnn

gulfport to new orleans:
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/....katrina.aerials.cnn

9th ward:
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/...erve.la.flooding.cnn

This message has been edited. Last edited by: beauTifully tragic,

damn

Damn thats close to me seeing how im 1 state above. I know alot of people who have family down there. My thoughts are with all

i had a customer call yesterday ordering food for 12 cuz they have NO relatives/refugees staying with them. needless to say there will be no charge. i'm headed to my mom's with a load of groceries tonight. no telling how long the aunts & uncle are going to be here...

I keep looking at the news, and I want to do so much to help, but I don't know how.

I've donated what money I can, I just wish I could inspire others to donate as well . . .

People don't seem to be realizing how bad it is. "That's crazy" Yeah, but it's also horrible.

It's hard to look at what's going on without crying. . .

Give blood. Volunteer at your local Red Cross to see if you can help them out. They might need volunteers.

Here at home, the Dallas Chapter of the Red Cross has sent out a plea for volunteers. They're getting so many donations, there's simply not enough people to take them.

KC and I are gonna go help, plus we're both donating whatever money we can.

Every little bit helps.

since i can't go help, i also donated to the red cross

i put together some news photos from the internet and will add more as i can..
http://community.webshots.com/album/438274472iaNRuu

http://community.webshots.com/album/440380915tRyNEq

This message has been edited. Last edited by: beauTifully tragic,

Im waiting for the telethon.

But I seen ET and Lucy looked shook up. I will donate as much as I can to the telethon. I cant believe a major city could be wiped out. Wow...


On a lighter note Iam excited to see the sequel to Locusts